Rumor had spread that Deteste had succeeded. Truthfully he had only eavesdropped on a few passing creatures, but after meeting his sister and lurking near the borders of the red forest, Erebos had seen his father's accomplishment for himself. At first he had planned to speak with his sire, to see if it was worth it to stick himself in a pack with him rather than venturing out on his own again. His mind was made up in only a few days' time. From what the young brute could tell, his father had designed a pack that he would never be suited for. It seemed the place of those who were sound of mind and those alone. Erebos would never meet such a standard - in fact, no one in his family would aside from Deteste. Both his mother and brother were just as screwed up as he was, but it seemed that the insanity of the family hadn't crossed Deteste's mind when he decided to set up shop as a new leader. Go figure - just when Erebos had decided to forgive his parents, he was led to resent one once again. The spring was just beginning to melt the snow, revealing patches of the blackened beach as he walked along it. He seated himself beside a sturdy palm tree, still in its winter slumber, and contented himself on watching ice chunks float around in the barely moving water. Where would he find himself now that he was so unsure of where to go? Speech,

"It's cold." It is the arid, idle voice of a vapid mother, as though chiding him -- where is your jacket, Erebos? She has not seen him in a long while but still she knows him (for what mother does not know her own child?) and it is from a distance that she has watched his progression until he is near enough to speak to. It is mere idle chatter for now, the lazed progression of an awkward comment as she ventures forth, not quite moving to him, angled towards him but keeping her distance. Do you hate me, as they all do? She licks her lips and watches him a moment longer before her gaze ventures elsewhere, roving over the chilled waters that slough ice like a bear shedding its winter coat and she hums low in her throat, twisting her empty stare back to Erebos and offering him a chilly smile. "Shouldn't you be inside?" She tilts her head, quirks a brow, oddly aloof and resisting the urge to pull him into her embrace, for she is rather certain he cannot love her -- not after all this time.

a handshake of carbon monoxide

Table by Azil

His head would slowly turn toward a voice that was entirely foreign to him now. A strange coincidence it was that his mother would show herself just when he was considering his renewed hatred of his father, and just when he was at his most mentally sound. For a moment he debated whether he should respond or not, wondering if talking with her would bring out his insanity once more, but she was his mother. Now that he had grown to understand why he had suffered the way he had, he had no ability to resent her for it. Quite honestly, the brute wished somewhat to rekindle a relationship with her. Now that he had a sister to call his own, Erebos was seeing the joy of having family close, and he figured that Laxago probably yearned for companionship the way he did to help keep him sane. I was born to the cold, mother. I have endured far worse, he would call in response, moving his icy gaze from her back to the water. You left for some time. His words were very plain and matter-of-fact. He had sought her out at one time and had found his father alone, leaving him with only one parent to attempt to reconcile with. Where had she gone? It wasn't a question he would ask out loud, but he couldn't help but wonder how she had survived to return without her mate, her guardian, at her side. Speech,